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Grace Lee Boggs Highlight
In order to change society, we have to transform ourselves.
About Grace
- Studied European philosophy; got her Ph.D. in 1940, the year France fell to the Nazis: "all of a sudden, there was Europe in chaos."
- Knew after school, she was going to have a tough time finding a job as an Asian-American woman, even with her Ph.D.
- Didn't grow up politically minded, didn't consider herself a radical, but she always knew "there were things that needed to change."
- First inspired after the March on Washington Movement successfully forced passage of Executive Order 8802, ending discrimination in defense industry.
- After seeing "what a movement could do," knew she wanted to become an activist in the black movement.
- Moved to Detroit, once the epicenter of industrialization, to try to find solutions in the aftermath of the "exodus of the corporations."
- Mayor wanted to replace auto industry with casino industry, but she successfully fought against it, recognized that economy as "exploitative."
- Says that while "successful" is not a word she'd use to describe her life, it has been meaningful-"and isn't that what we all want?"